July 30, 2021
Itâs not easy being green â but over the past decade and a half, Evanston has done just that, making a name for itself as a sustainable city.
From being the first city in Illinois to commit to full carbon neutrality to utilizing community participation every step of the way, the city has implemented a wide range of plans to address the climate crisis. The fight against climate change is ongoing, but to understand the cityâs future, itâs important to look back at its past.
In 2005, community organizers focused their efforts toward getting the city to commit to taking meaningful action on climate change. They were successful in getting then-Mayor Lorraine Morton to sign The U.S. Mayorsâ Climate Protection Agreement, which committed the city to achieving the Kyoto Protocolâs greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.